Lock



G. P. WIRTH March 4, 1969 LOCK Filed Deo. 27, 1966 United States Patent O 3,430,467 LOCK Gustave P. Wirth, Chemin de Maillot, Benre, Doubs, France Filed Dec. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 605,068 Claims priority, application France, Dec. 27, 1965, 4 3

U.s. Cl. '7o-67 Inf. ci. nosh 67/38; nose 1/04, 3/04 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Locks used to close valises, briefcases or bags have a certain number of drawbacks. They are generally of complex construction, difficult assembly, and are often fragile and of questionable aesthetic appearance. The complexity of the mechanisms prevents the automatizing of the fabrication and increases the cost price. Their handling is often delicate. Consequently, the invention seeks to furnish a lock of the type described which is easy to manufacture and assemble while being of a low cost price with an aesthetic appearance which is easily modified and made agreeable while being of a considerably simplified handling.

To this effect, the invention is concerned with a lock particularly designed for valises, briefcases or bags having a fixed container and a cover wherein a clasp, rigid with the cover `of the object to be closed, cooperates with a latch member secured to the xed container and having a notch facing the clasp for the open position of the lock, the latch being adapted to move with respect to the clasp to bring the lock in its closed position in which the notch no longer faces the clasp.

The invention will be better understood by referring to the following description made by way of non-limiting example and to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic front view partly broken `away of a lock according to the invention, for one modication thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a rear view of the lock shown on FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III- III of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional View taken along line IV-IV of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is the same as FIGURE 2 for another embodiment.

FIGURE 6 is the same as FIGURE 1 for the lock of FIGURE 5.

Reference is rst made to FIGURES l to 4 which describe a lock in which the movement of the latch is translational. Lock 1 comprises a clasp 2 rigid with a plate 3 secured on the cover (not shown) of the object to be closed. The clasp 2 can simply be obtained by cutting the sheet forming plate 3 and folding back the same.

On the `ixed part of the container to be closed (not shown) is secured a plate 4, which may be metallic. The attachment to the fixed container can be made by points 5 integral with plate 4 and folded back after assembly. The rectangular plate 4 comprises two elongated openings 6.

Patented Mar. 4, 1969 lCC On plate 4 is mounted a latch cover 7 which can be, for example, of a parallelepipedal shape and is able to slide lengthwise parallel to a large side. For this purpose, two columns 8 are formed integral with the inner face 9 of latch 7 and receive each a flat head screw 10. Head 11 is located on the other side of plate 4 with respect to latch 7, the screw being tightened through the elongated opening 6. In this way, the latch slides relative to plate 4. It is also possible to interpose between plate 4 and the receptacle to be closed a flat member (not shown) pierced in front of head 11 in order to permit the movement of the head.

Plate 4 has on the large side thereof a notch 12 which faces clasp 2. Latch 7 comprises a notch 13 on its vertical face in the middle of this face. Notches 12 and 13 are only one above the other and simultaneously face clasp 2 for the open position of the lock. Clasp 2 can then easily be introduced or Withdrawn. On the contrary, for the locked position of the lock, where the cover has been brought back to its central position, the notches 12 and 13 no longer face and the 4lock cannot be opened by a movement parallel to arrow F, the opening direction, since clasp 2 will be stopped by the upper side 14 of cover 7.

The lock can be provided with spring 15 which surrounds Icolumns 8 and bears by its centre, on pivot 16 rotatably mounted on latch 7. Pivot 16 can serve as a key locking system and comprises for this purpose a semicircular head 17 cooperating with a pin 18 integral with plate 4. In the position shown on FIGURE 2, opening of the lock is possible since the semicircular head 17 fades before pin 18. On the contrary, the opening of the lock is no longer possible when pivot 16 is turned by 90. Such rotation can be imparted thereto by a key (not shown) passing through a mobile element 19 pierced by a slot 20 overlapping by both its sides on cover 7.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 5 and 6 which describe a lock in which the movement of the latch member is a rotational movement. Plate 21 is secured to the cover (not shown) of the receptacle to be closed by points 22 folded back after assembly. Plate 21 comprises a notch 23 and is surmounted by a latch 24 rotatably mounted around a shaft 25, screwed or riveted, for example, on plate 21. Latch 24 comprises also a notch 26; it is hollow inside and comprises a radial tongue 27 limiting the rotational movement by contact with two stops 28 and 29 and integral with plate 21 and positioned at right angles one to the other. A spring device can be provided (not shown) to facilitate the blocking of cover 24 in two posi tions of the stop.

The cover of the object to close carries, as before, a clasp 30 on a plate 31. In a position shown on FIGURE 5, clasp 30 is enclosed between plate 21 and cover 24 and cannot be extracted. On the contrary, by rotation of in the direction of arrow F, notches 23 and 26 are brought face to face and clasp 30 can be introduced or withdrawn. There can be added to this lock any suitable key closing device.

There is thus obtained an easily constructed lock of dependable and eificient functioning. The aesthetic appearance of the lock can be modied at will by changing the shape of the movable cover. The cost price thereof is lowered for the assembly is easy and the components few.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a particular modification thereof, it is understood that there can be brought thereto various modifications as to the shape and details thereof without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A lock for closing a receptacle composed of a fixed container element and a cover, said lock comprising a clasp on said cover, a cover plate on said lixed container, a notch in said plate in register with said clasp for receiving said clasp therein; a latch cover slidable on said plate over said clasp for retaining said clasp and thereby locking said receptacle, a notch in said latch cover adapted to come into register with said notch in said plate upon movement of said latch cover to thereby unlock said receptacle; stop means on said plate; spring urged, rotatable pivot means having a first part disposed inwardly of said latch cover for selectively engaging said stop means to prevent sliding movement of said latch cover, said pivot means having a second part accessible from the outside of said latch cover to rotate said pivot means to thereby move said iirst part relative to said stop means.

2. Lock according to claim 1, wherein said first part of said pivot means has a semicircular head for selectively engaging said stop means.

3. Lock for closing a receptacle composed of a Xed container element and a cover, said lock comprising a clasp on said cover, a cover plate on said fixed container,

thereby locking said receptacle, a notch Yin said latch cover adapted to come into register with said notch in said plate upon rotation of said latch cover to thereby unlock said receptacle; a radial tongue on said latch cover disposed toward said plate; spaced stop means on said plate for limiting rotational movement of said tongue and hence of said cover member therebetween.

4. Lock according to claim 3, wherein said stop means are two and are positioned at right angles one to the other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,152,081 3/1939 Nelson 292-147 3,212,304 10/1965 Feinberg 70-71 3,245,236 4/ 1966 Atkinson 70--71 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD I. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 292--145, 202 

